1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a transportation and storage system for rectangular spinning cans, comprising can storage places and can transporters between first machines that fill empty spinning cans, and second machines that each empty full spinning cans along a processing (spinning) line or along the longitudinal sides of the processing machines. Each first machine has a can line storage place with storage places directly associated with the machine for empty cans to be placed next to each other in an orderly, i.e. oriented arrangement. There are also storage places for full cans that have to be placed next to each other in an orderly, i.e. oriented arrangement.
2. The Prior Art
In the textile industry, ribbons of fiber material (the preliminary yarn) are transported to stretching machines as well as to flyers and spinning machines via so-called spinning cans. After the cans have been filled or have run empty, each of the spinning cans has to be replaced by a new empty or filled can, respectively.
In conjunction with modern spinning machines, the pre-yarn is supplied to the machines in so-called rectangular cans having a standard size in the form of a square stone. The largest side of the rectangle measured parallel with the bottom of the can is referred to as the length of the can. The length of the narrow side of the rectangle measured parallel with the bottom of the can is referred to as the width of the can. Rectangular spinning cans are oriented on the spinning machine in a defined way, i.e. the cans are specifically positioned along each processing line underneath the spinning points or spindles of the spinning machine, with the wide sides of the rectangle facing each other. The two longitudinal ends of the individual can are not equal in most cases, so that the orientation on the spinning machine comprises the alignment of the can with respect to one of the longitudinal ends of the can as well.
When the can is in the take-off (or processing) position properly orientated as required, the pre-yarn can be pulled from the can in each spinning site. Once the can has run empty, it is replaced by a full can. So-called can transporters or can changer carriages are employed for transporting the can to and away from the machines. Such a carriage runs along a driving track extending along a row of the working positions or spindles of the spinning machine. Such working positions or spindles are arranged in the straight line next to each other in a processing line and thus along a driving track extending along the row of cans to be serviced, between two rows of spinning machines in most cases.
In a large spinning mill, which has a multitude of stretching machines with flyers and/or spinning machines arranged downstream, it is preferred that at least the automatically operating spinning machines produce without interruption. This requires that the spinning machines be continually supplied with adequate amounts of yarn stock, i.e., full cans, and that the empty spinning cans be transported off.
The degree of automation in the preliminary works of the plant upstream, which involves opening a fiber bale supplied as the raw material, has not as yet reached the degree of automation found in the actual spinning mill. Because of this, the preliminary material is often prepared and stored with excess capacity in such large quantities that spinning can continue without any interruption in the spinning mill even in the event of machine shutdown in the preliminary works.
A transportation and storage system for rectangular spinning cans that is being successfully employed as described above is described in European Patent No. EP 08 69 206 A2. This patent describes providing an automatic supply between stretching machines and spinning machines by interconnecting an additional can conveyance and storage system between the machines of the first group (stretching machines) and the machines of the second group (spinning machines).
According to EP 08 69 206 A2 cited above, the rectangular spinning cans are handled with the same alignment by which they are oriented when leaving the stretching machine, and are passed with such alignment through the major part of the storage system until they reach the specific can transporter that delivers the spinning can (empty or full can) directly to the spinning point, or spinning spindle. This means that can transporters which orient the individual spinning can according to the requirements in the respective spinning site are required on the spinning machine. In the prior art, the can transporter drives up to the spinning cans stored in the last storage place, receives such cans (not in a turned-around position), and then drives around a curve, for example a 90xc2x0 curve, in order to turn the can and to orient it correctly in this way for the spindle of the spinning machine.
Such redirection (or reversing) of the individual can transporter can be safely carried out in an automatic operation only if the transporter is equipped with the required and costly guiding means. Furthermore, in very large spinning mills, a separate can transporter is needed for each side of a spinning machine. These transporter vehicles may obstruct each other at the receiving and delivery points.
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the transportation and storage system in such a way that only guides extending with a straight alignment are required along each processing line or longitudinal side of the spinning machines between a transfer storage place and the respective spinning sites, or spindles. Where the cans are supplied to the spinning machine automatically via rail-borne vehicles to connect the transfer storage place and the spinning site, or spindle, the goal is to exclusively use straight rails.
The invention comprises a transportation and storage system for rectangular spinning cans, comprising can storage places and can transporters between first machines filling spinning empty cans, and second machines each emptying full spinning cans, along a processing line or longitudinal side of the machine. Each first machine has a can line storage place associated with it, with storage places for empty cans to be placed next to each other in an oriented manner, and storage places for full cans to be placed next to each other in an oriented manner as well. The second machine has for each of its processing lines a can transfer storage place in which at least the full cans are spatially oriented in the same way as the cans being instantaneously processed in the respective processing line itself.
A distinction is made in this conjunction between first machines and second machines. In connection with the jet or ring spinning mill, the first machines may be stretching machines or flyers, and the second machines may be flyers or spinning machines. In conjunction with the open-end spinning mill (OE spinning mill), the first machines generally are stretching machines and the second machines are OE spinning machines.
According to the invention, the spinning cans (at least the full cans) are supplied to the can transfer storage place already with the spatial orientation with which they are emptied on the spinning machine. The individual jet, ring or OE spinning machine etc. should have for each of its longitudinal sides a transfer storage place with a supply that is at least adequate for a temporary shutdown of the preliminary works. For example, at least the full cansxe2x80x94and preferably also the empty cans, so that the further operation along the route via the stretching plant, etc., will not require any re-orientation workxe2x80x94are spatially aligned along the respective side of the spinning machine (or processing line) itself like instantaneously processed cans.
The transfer storage place associated with each spinning machine must accommodate sufficient cans that temporary automatic operation is possible in any case, without having to supply the storage place with fresh full cans. Regarding the aforementioned EP 08 69 206A2, the invention means that the storage place provided according to this document between the first and the second machines is basically cancelled and shared out to the transfer storage places of the spinning machines.
Because in the present invention the can transporter vehicles operating along the respective spinning machine receive the cans already with the correct orientation for the actual spinning process, the vehicles do not have to travel through curves but rather can drive along straight guides, for example on mechanical guides, inductive guides or laser selection guides. In other words, the can transporter associated with a spinning machine only deposits the individual cans by parallel displacement at the spinning site (or spindle) with exactly the same orientation with which it has received such cans in the transfer storage place.
If the transfer storage place, where the cans are already spatially oriented, has to have an adequate amount of cans for a longer shutdown in the preliminary works, e.g. for a night shift or a weekend, it can be supplemented by an additional storage place with substantially the same orientation of the cans. For this purpose, there is a night shift can storage place located on the opposite side of the respective straight guide, where the cans also have the same spatial orientation as required along the processing line. The term xe2x80x9cnight shiftxe2x80x9d relates in general not only to a temporary shutdown of the preliminary works, but also, for example to the bridging of a weekend.
According to the invention, transfer storage places as well as night shift storage places, if necessary, where the spinning cans are already spatially aligned, are allocated to each spinning machine, and the cans are then delivered to the spinning sites (or spindles) with this orientation, preferably via can transporters. While according to the aforementioned EP 08 69 206 A2, the cans are correctly oriented or turned between the last storage place located upstream of the spinning site, and the spinning site, according to the present invention, the cans are turned already while or before they are inserted in the transfer storage place, possibly immediately after they have been deposited in the can deposit of the stretching machine or a flyer, if necessary.
When a spinning machine is supplied as defined by the invention, a can transporter is associated with each of the two longitudinal sides or processing lines of the machine and thus also of the associated can storage place. Overall, therefore, the machine is serviced by two can transporters. The two can transporters of the spinning machine may operate independently of one another because each of the two transporters has its own delivery point in its own transfer storage place (preferably for full and empty cans). The conveyance system is simplified in this way. No mutual hampering of the can transporters can occur. The transporters; do not have to travel through curves; mechanical straight guides can be embedded in the floor, so that the guides will not interfere with any cross traffic like a groove imbedded in the floor. The use of one can transporter on each side of the spinning machine means an increase in the useful effect of the individual can transporter because the maximum (empty) driving distance of a can transporter can amount to only the length of a machine at the most.
The can transporters can be realized in different ways. According to a first variation, the individual can transporter can have a plurality of can places, for a total of two places for empty and full cans. In addition, a place can be provided for a person traveling along on the transporter (possibly with an additional manual control). The possibility for transport of a person is highly desirable in large spinning mills because operators often have to cover enormous distances in a time-consuming way to eliminate machine defects.
According to another variation, only one can place is provided on the individual transporter. This vehicle will then have to separately travel back and forth for each can. However, vehicles of this type require substantially less expenditure than transporters with two or more places for different cans that are transported at the same time.